Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Leadership Feedback?

Leadership Feedback is a process used widely throughout organizations to provide managers with feedback from a variety of sources (i.e. Supervisor, Self, Peers, and Direct Reports). Research shows that managers are able to enhance their effectiveness when they receive valid and useful feedback.

Is this a one-time thing?

No. The Feedback process can be repeated at regular intervals upon the request of an employee or manager. However, even though the formal process can be repeated, the ultimate goal is to make feedback an integral part of the everyday work environment. We hope that eventually managers will regularly solicit feedback from others without the formal Feedback process.

What if my feedback results are very negative?

It is important to remember that Feedback are developmental tools, even if the feedback results are very negative. The focus of this process is to work on solving problems. There are a couple of things that can help an individual who receives very negative feedback. One thing that should be helpful is the feedback session with the consultant. During this one-hour session, the consultant can help you better understand your feedback and develop action plans to address problems. More time can be scheduled with a member of Bellet, Sieveking & Associates if needed. Another suggestion for managers with negative feedback is to find a coach they trust who can help them work on the issues identified.

Why is this being done on-line rather than by a pencil and paper questionnaire?

The main reason is for the speed advantage. The data can be analyzed and reported back to the ratees (i.e. those individuals receiving feedback) very quickly. Also, due to the nature of our business, many employees are very comfortable with and prefer using the computer.

SELECTION OF RATERS

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Leadership Feedback

I have only one direct report. Should I ask her to rate me?

To ensure anonymity there should be at least three people responding in each of the rater categories for Direct Report, Indirect Report and Peers. However, you may request that she participate, but it is up to her to decide if she does. This is true for anyone with only 2 direct reports as well.

I have 23 direct reports. Should I include them all?

You can only include a maximum of 20 direct reports. Work with your manager to decide whom to include. We recommend that you include those with whom you interact with the most. However, there may be good reasons for including others. Also, unless there is a good reason for doing otherwise, you should include all of your direct reports (or in your case, 20 of the 23).

Ideally, how many peers and indirect reports should I select?

You can select a maximum of 10 peers and 10 indirect reports. For peers, we recommend that you select those individuals with whom you interact with the most. For indirect reports, you should consider those individuals who have been in your organization long enough to form an opinion and/or who may be perceived by others as informal leaders. In either case, meet with your manager to review and mutually agree on the final list.

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Workstyle Values

Who should I choose to provide feedback?

It would be appropriate to select your manager as a rater as well as a collection of peers and others whom you have had significant interactions with in the past. If you mostly work alone, you should consider those individuals who know you well enough to have formed an opinion.

Ideally, how many peers and indirect reports should I select?

You can select a maximum of 10 peers and 10 others. For peers, we recommend that you select those individuals with whom you interact with the most. For others, you should consider those individuals who have been in your organization long enough to form an opinion and/or who may be perceived by others as informal leaders. In either case, meet with your manager to review and mutually agree on the final list.

SELECTION OF RATERS

How do I ensure that I am making valid ratings and comments?

Sometimes we let inappropriate things affect our evaluations of others. As you are assigning ratings and providing feedback, be sure that you are not letting the following things influence you:

• How much I like/don't like this person
• How much I have/don't have in common with this person
• A single incident that is not representative of the person's typical behavior
• One particular trait, good or bad, that this person has or doesn't have
• My tendency to give high or low evaluations
• My tendency to avoid making evaluations, and therefore, providing neutral feedback

The appropriate thing to use in making evaluations of others is as follows:

• The person's actual performance or behaviors displayed throughout the year across a variety of settings

How do I provide useful written comments?

Written comments are often the most valued part of the feedback package. Your written comments will be included exactly as you write them. Please take your time to think through these comments carefully. The more specific you can be, the more helpful it will be for the Ratee (i.e., the individual receiving feedback).

Example #1:

Spend more time (i.e. once a week) asking us, "What can I do to make your job easier?"
versus
Be more helpful

Example #2:

Ask employees for their ideas and input during meetings instead of just having us report out what we accomplished and then calling the meeting to an abrupt end.
versus
Listen to employees

Example #3:

Look for solutions to the problems that exist rather than search for individuals to blame.
versus
Display more ownership

Example #4:

Express a more optimistic attitude about potential obstacles that might exist while focusing on the positive possibilities even in negative situations.
versus
Be more persistent

Will the feedback I provide remain anonymous?

If there are 3 or more participants in your rater category (i.e., Peer, Direct Report, Indirect Report), then please be assured that your responses cannot be traced back to you individually. The actual data is being sent to an offsite location to be tabulated electronically. An outside contractor is handling the entire tabulation process and your responses will be analyzed at the aggregate level with at least 2 other people in your rater category.

However, due the potential problem of there being less than 3 people in a rater category, we need to know if you are willing to allow your feedback to be viewed in this situation. The last item of the survey will ask, "At what level are you comfortable with letting your data being viewed?"

You options will be:

1. I am only comfortable with 3 or more raters in my rater category

2. I am comfortable with 2 raters, but not if I am the only rater in my rater category

3. I am comfortable with being the only rater in my rater category

If you are this person's supervisor, the system will set your answer to "I am comfortable with being the only rater" because you are likely the only rater responding in the "Supervisor" category for this person.

What is the deadline?

We are asking everyone to please complete the questionnaires within one week of receiving the request. We appreciate your help in making this happen.

How long does the questionnaire take to complete?

Depending on how long you take answering the questions, the Leadership Feedback questionnaire should take you between 15-25 minutes, the Workstyle Values Feedback questionnaire should take 10-15 minutes, and the Action Item Feedback should take 5-10 minutes to complete.

What if I want to think about the feedback items before taking the survey?

A static copy of the survey, without the answer key is available for viewing the items.

What if I want to think about the feedback items and write down my answers before taking the survey?

A static copy of the survey, with the answer key is also available for reviewing the items. This is a rather large file, so please be patient while it downloads.

What if I do not wish to participate?

We understand that some people will be asked several times to participate in this process, creating possibly several hours of time to complete the on-line survey. While we do not want to over burden you with this process, please remember how important your feedback is to each person who is requesting it from you.

If you cannot participate in this person's Leadership Feedback Process, please reply to the email you received regarding the request to participate indicating that you do not wish to participate and why. You can decline online as well.

SELECTION OF RATERS

What if I lost my pass code?

You should send an email to 360 Administration at 360@workpsyte.com to request another one.

What if my machine crashed in the middle of the survey (or something of that nature)?
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I wasn't done yet. How do I resume taking my survey?

We understand that computers will misbehave or that you might have hit "submit" and not meant it. If you need to return to a survey that is incomplete, just sign-in again and the system will display all of your incomplete survey items. If more than one incomplete survey of yours is in the system, it will return all of them. Just pick one of them and continue from there.

What do I do if I am having problems using my Lotus Notes as the browser?

Versions of Lotus Notes prior to Release 5 are not compatible with forms (which are required for submitting any information on the web). Although you may be able to browse web pages using Lotus Notes just fine, you can not interact with a web site because of this weakness.

It appears that if you are using Release 5, then you should not have any problems.

There are two solutions. The first solution, which is short-term and solves the problem now, is to just use another web browser such as Netscape Navigator. The second solution, and more long-term, is to set the preferences in Lotus Notes to go to Netscape (for instance) when opening a URL. Instructions for setting the preferences are available for viewing and/or printing.

Please take the time as soon as possible to access the site and complete your feedback. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact 360 Administration at 615.371.1011.